The Dawn of Basketball Shoes
Basketball shoes date back to the early 1900s,when people began to take the idea of creating footwear specifically for the sport very seriously. Nobody knew back then what a massive industry the world of basketball shoes would one day become and the effect not only on the sport but off court too in mens fashion and other areas. Nowadays most mainstream sports have a lot of gear on the market and a huge choice in equipment, but it hasn't all found a way into culture in the same way that b'ball shoes absolutely have.
Chuck Taylor All Stars and Converse
A lot of us didn't even realize that Converse were designed as basketball shoes when we first bought them, my first pair were my favorite shoes for years before I realized their original purpose.They first started being used in around 1907 and they've had a lot of influence on the shoes we tend to see on the courts today. Ask grandad what shoes he wore when he used to play basketball back in the day he'll probably tell you he wore Cons, as almost anyone serious about the game did back then. They were the stand out model of shoe on the market for almost half a century, and nowadays its more likely you'll see them peeking out from under some jeans. Almost unbelievably, sales of these shoes are thought to have topped 500 million pairs!
70s and 80s Basketball Shoes
It took until about the 1970s when there were other key players in the market. Nike made some big moves and their Blazer model of shoe quickly became a favorite among pros. Marketed as 'The Shoe with the Swoosh' this shoe certainly changed things. By the 80s we could see other manufacturers having their say, Adidas had their Eqings range and Converse still had a market share, even if they weren't as popular as they once were, they also experimented with new designs and models.
The Modern Shoe
In the modern game there is so much choice, brands already mentioned are joined by the likes of Reebok, Under Armour, Champion and loads more. Sponsorship deals from the likes of Michael Jordan who put his name to Nike's Air Jordans have sparked a load of celebrity sponsorship and signature shoes that we are much more likely to see out and about and on the courts in the 21st century. Who knows what the future holds for Basketball Shoes?
Ben is a writer and sports enthusiast from the UK who runs a website about The Best Basketball Shoes.
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